73 Commando starting issues

I am trying to get my father-in-laws Norton started that he bought as someone elses unfinished project. There are a lot of little problems, and one big problem, it won't start. It has a single mikuni conversion on it, and I am getting spark, but I can't get it to start. Does this bike need 12V or 6V coils. It came with some old 6V coils, and I'm getting spark with those, but it's kind of weak. I bought new coils and assumed I needed 12V coils because it's a 12V system. Am I wrong?

Also, what are the two extra red and brown/blue wires hanging down by the keyswitch? Someone rebuilt the wiring harnes (not very well) and I can't figure out what these are for. Accessory plug maybe?

zigmund said:

I am trying to get my father-in-laws Norton started that he bought as someone elses unfinished project. There are a lot of little problems, and one big problem, it won't start. It has a single mikuni conversion on it, and I am getting spark, but I can't get it to start. Does this bike need 12V or 6V coils. It came with some old 6V coils, and I'm getting spark with those, but it's kind of weak. I bought new coils and assumed I needed 12V coils because it's a 12V system. Am I wrong?

Also, what are the two extra red and brown/blue wires hanging down by the keyswitch? Someone rebuilt the wiring harnes (not very well) and I can't figure out what these are for. Accessory plug maybe?

Click to expand...

What type of ignition? Pop off the points cover and take a look.

It has the stock points ignition. If there are different types of points, I won't be able to get take the cover off and get a pic until next friday.

Does that help?

6 violt lucas were tested as the worlds worst coil by Cycle mag . :lol: :lol: Tend to agee .

Take your time . Good Compression ?

check cams about overlap about TDC ,

ign should be just before tdc , static , retarded .about .

hand over carb should get sucked , swung over .and maybe damp too .

choke on , cold .
swing cylinders through to prime
ign. on
leap skyward , straighten leg, swing through .
etc.
:lol:


can be stupid things like one strand of wire fee inside cb assy.


photos , photos . ign with cover off .

no HARM swing through a fair bit , plugs OUT , to prime OILING. Better to prime throuh a removed rocker line , piston down , to prime crank . a bit of care here isnt amiss .

some turkeys put a oil filter on a car & run to prime it. Its Correct to fill the filter before fitting . Geddit . :?

picture , pictures , please .
and a 500 word essay on the state of the equilibrium . ( rebuild ) Thanks . :mrgreen:

zigmund said:

It has the stock points ignition. If there are different types of points, I won't be able to get take the cover off and get a pic until next friday.

Does that help?

Click to expand...

THEWPER , none of thise space ship transistor stuff . i'll be your fried . :?

Nothing wrong with the Contact Breaker type Ignition. At All . Bar not ' maintanance free '

Differant series / updates over the years . minor detail.
BSA A65 / A 50 Adv. unit is a ' 15 ' with 30 degrees advance . Worth Purloining .

K Mart 12 volt coil 1.000 times better than ' 6 Volt ' . :lol: :lol: :lol:

zigmund said:

Does this bike need 12V or 6V coils. It came with some old 6V coils, and I'm getting spark with those, but it's kind of weak. I bought new coils and assumed I needed 12V coils because it's a 12V system. Am I wrong?

Click to expand...

Yes you would be wrong about that, although it is a reasonably understandable mistake, however you can use two 12V coils with points ignition if you disconnect the wires from the ballast resistor and join them together (white/blue and white/purple wires originally).

http://britmoto.com/manuals/Manuals/750_man.pdf
Electrical, Section J

zigmund said:

Also, what are the two extra red and brown/blue wires hanging down by the keyswitch? Someone rebuilt the wiring harnes (not very well) and I can't figure out what these are for. Accessory plug maybe?

Click to expand...

Yes, they would have been for the accessory plug.

zigmund said:

It has the stock points ignition. If there are different types of points, I won't be able to get take the cover off and get a pic until next friday.

Click to expand...

When swooshdave asked "What type of ignition?" I think what he meant was has it still it got the original points and auto advance assembly, or has it been replaced with an electronic ignition system? If electronic, then you really need two 6V coils or one 12V dual output coil.